Dichotomy of the Soul
by Solvdrage
Summary: There's a saying that a soul is an incomplete half of a whole. For two people shouldering possibly the heaviest burdens and such staggering loneliness, they understand each other's pain all too well. Can they cast back the shadows, or will the oppressive weight of a far greater destiny crush possibly their only chance at happiness?
1. Chapter 1

"_Will the child survive?" _The voice in the memory was muffled and distant, as if it was being heard from beneath a pool of water. She had been submerged in his memories, her own restlessness, and her sleep. Thus, the analogy was surprisingly apt.

"_The child...perhaps...our future...most certainly,"_ the second voice was clearly her village's leader. The man who had shaped her as a shinobi. The man who had _broken_ her and rebuilt her from when she was a mere three year old child.

"Akahoshi-sama, when did this memory happen?" The young woman whispered to the distant, both emotionally and physically, 'Hoshikage'. The other presence, the one that defined her as much as her unique eyes or her status in the Village Hidden under the Stars, remained silent.

_'I haven't been able to sleep since I arrived here. Get a hold of yourself, _Hatsune Hinata,' the Genin of the Hoshigakure mentally berated herself. Hinata sat up in the hotel bed and sighed. It was difficult to sleep in this village, this Konoha. The air was too...light. Hinata had grown up in Hoshigakure. The village had always been protected by the thick sulfurous gases that filled the low-lying areas that surrounded the plateau Hoshigakure was built on. Hinata took a deep breath simply to enjoy the novelty of the action.

"_Her eyes are too distinctive, Akahoshi-sama. They will be noticeable to anyone familiar with them,"_ Shisō-sensei's voice filtered through the haze. Hinata knew this memory was one of her own.

"_She can wear contact lenses around the village. No one will defy _my _authority to ask questions. Yotaka is working on a...method of protecting Hinata's...other secret,"_ Akahoshi had said. Hinata had been six when she had heard this conversation. She hadn't understood at the time. Now, it was another painful reminder of her _place_.

Her _role and duty_.

Of her being less of a _person_ and more of a tool.

The room suddenly felt oppressive. Hinata clambered out of the bed and quickly dressed. She grabbed her identity papers and hitai-ate, and slipped out of the hotel room. Shisō-sensei would be displeased by her leaving without permission so early in the morning. Hinata, uncharacteristically, found she wasn't worried. The prospect of anonymity was actually a thrilling mix of liberation and seclusion.

Hinata tied her hitai-ate around her forehead as she walked down the hall. She paused in front of a mirror and took in her appearance. Hinata straightened her kimono-style top. She had decided to wear her favorite top. It was a light lavender color with a subtle floral pattern. It was not the nicest top she owned, but it was her favorite. She had actually _paid_ for this one. Hinata hated most of her other clothes. They were lovely, and occasionally she allowed herself to enjoy them. It was just that she didn't _earn_ those clothes. Merchants back in Hoshigakure 'gifted' her practically anything she needed. They did not give Hinata these 'gifts' out of kindness. They gave them out of fear.

Fear of what Hinata _was_.

Fear of Akahoshi's displeasure if they offended his favorite 'instrument'.

Hinata looked away from her own reflection. Her eyes found their way to the floor, but she didn't focus on anything in the material world. Her hands found her way to her sternum, but not for comfort. She was hiding the seal that branded her as Hoshigakure's 'treasured' instrument. Hinata was retreating into her emotional shell. A suddenly influx of sympathy from the other presence inside her body made her feel slightly better.

_'At least I'm never alone,'_ Hinata thought to herself. An image of Hokuto flashed in front of her eyes. Hokuto had always been her best, if only, friend. Hinata treasured Hokuto as the sister she never had. _'Thank you for including her.'_

Hinata's constant companion was strangely silent. There was something _or someone_ in Konoha that was making him nervous. Hinata wouldn't pressure him. She understood the desire to have some privacy; to have some sense of individuality. If Hinata could find a quiet and isolated place, preferably near some water, she would try to discover the whys.

Hinata decided to refocus on her appearance. Shisō-sensei had been adamant in reminding Hinata and her team that they represented Akahoshi and Hoshigakure in all their actions. The order and emphasis in Shisō-sensei's words had not been lost on the Star Village Genin. Hinata made sure her shuriken holster was full and secured tightly to her right leg. She smoothed a wrinkle in her black Capri pants.

A frown formed as checked her hair. She missed her long hair. Hokuto and Hinata had decided to grow their hair out once they made Genin. Hoshigakure's Academy had adopted a very strict dress code. Hinata and Hokuto growing their hair out was a celebration of their 'adulthood'.

Unfortunately, Akahoshi, Shisō, and Yotaka had cut off all Hinata's hair a few months ago. They had applied a second seal, this one on the back of her head. It had been a terribly degrading experience. Hinata had retreated to her small house, little more than a single room, and created a sphere of coral to hide in. She had refused to see or speak to anyone, even Hokuto, for three days.

"_Now we really will be able to pass for sisters," Hokuto had said the moment Hinata had opened a gap in the coral sphere. "They gave us the same eye color."_

"_T-they did?" Hinata sniffled. Hokuto had helped Hinata to her feet. Hinata slowly walked to a mirror. She still wanted to cry about how her sensei and village leader manhandled her. Hinata had been so proud of her hair. She had also been proud of her eyes. They were _hers_ and unlike anything in her home village. Hinata appraised her new 'eyes'. The seal Yokuta had applied had altered her eyes. They were no longer the pupil-less pale lavender eyes Hinata once had. Now, they were a dark purple with the slightest of pupils. Though, Hinata realized, her 'pupils' were little more than a faint outline. "I...I like the color. W-we can pass for sisters...when my hair comes back."_

"_I'm the big sister!" Hokuto declared._

"_I-I think I'm older," Hinata pondered out loud._

"_Ah, Hinata-chan, I always wanted to be a big sister...please?" Hokuto playfully whined._

"_Fine...Onee-chan," Hinata echoed Hokuto's playful tone._

Hinata smiled at one of her favorite memories. She was feeling much better now. The Hoshigakure Genin took a final look in the mirror. Her hair was finally growing back enough to where Hinata wasn't embarrassed to be in public. It was already hard enough for her to interact with anyone but Hokuto. There were weeks when she had to be ordered to even interact with the rest of her Genin team. Shisō-sensei was especially difficult to be around.

Hinata shook her head. "Stop wasting time, Hinata," she whispered to herself. The urge to run away and retreat within her shells was bubbling forward. Hinata had come to the Konoha Chuunin Exams to take a step forward. She _would_ prove she was a person and not a tool. Hinata looked at herself one last time in the mirror. She even smiled at her short hime-cut.

Hinata still missed her long hair though.

The first thing Hinata noticed was that the Land of Fire was warm. In fact, it was almost unbearably warm. The sun was only threatening to rise and the temperatures were equal to those of midday back home. In spite of the heat, Hinata put her arms inside of her voluminous sleeves. Hinata consciously wanted to keep her identification papers and other documents safe. Subconsciously, however, she was trying to put _something_ between her and any strangers she might encounter. Hinata decided to just start walking. The hotel was the largest in Konoha, and only three buildings in the Hidden Village were larger. She was confident she could find her way back. A smile worked its way to Hinata's face as she came to a decision.

_'I'm going to be spontaneous,'_ Hinata thought excitedly to herself. Her entire life had been rigidly controlled, and opportunities to indulge in whims were incredibly rare. She simply started walking with no destination in mind. Hinata simply allowed her feet to move in any direction they pleased. The streets were fairly empty by the standards of such a large village, but Hinata had never seen so many people out and about before sunrise.

"Even this is growth," Hinata said to herself. She was experiencing life in another part of the world. It was actually thrilling. Suddenly, the thrill of excitement was replaced by a thrill of worry.

"_Would my little hime like some breakfast?" A woman's voice Hinata instinctively recognized, but tortuously couldn't place, asked. A little girl clinging to the woman's neck nodded shyly. "How about some cinnamon rolls? They are _almost _as sweet as you. Your father loves them."_

"_Oto-sama?" The girl asked. _

Hinata had stopped in front of a bakery and was panting heavily. She hadn't been this scared since her first C-rank. Hinata nearly created a coral sphere to hide away. Shisō's adamant orders that she was not to reveal any of her abilities until the Chuunin Exam proper stayed her hands. Instead, she took off running from the small bakery. The delightful smells were calling forth a wonderful dream, or the horrifyingly threat of possible memories. Hinata simply ran in the opposite direction from the smells and ignored her protesting stomach.

Eventually, the smells ceased, and Hinata felt the cold comfort of serenity return. It was balancing on a razor's edge, but the small comfort was welcomed. Hinata leaned against a tree and took a deep breath.

_'The trees are so odd here. I've never seen so many leaves. I miss the pines back home. They always smelled so nice,'_ Hinata recalled a pleasant memory from home to calm her racing nerves.

"_**I-I am uncomfortable here,"**_ Hinata's constant companion finally actively contacted Hinata.

"_What is it, Bu-kun?"_ Hinata asked nervously. Anything that could make Bu-kun uncomfortable could _not_ be a good thing.

"_**One of my brothers is here. The strongest and most dangerous. Ku...He is close,"**_ Bu-kun said with forced calm. Bu-kun's confession was making Hinata once again teeter on the edge of panic.

_'Maybe this walk was a mistake,'_ Hinata thought and turned to head back to the hotel. Unfortunately, her blind flight from the bakery had taken her deep into the woods.

Hinata was horribly lost in a foreign village.

* * *

Hinata finally emerged from the unfamiliar forest. She was growing increasingly nervous because of her situation. Bu-kun was still remaining silent. It was almost if he was afraid of drawing his 'brother's' attention. The fear was causing Hinata to retreat inwardly. She felt her hands twitch in anticipation of creating a protective wall of coral.

_'How can Bu-kun be afraid?'_ Hinata wondered to herself. She recalled the sheer power of her comrade. Hinata recalled every detail of her companion. Bu-kun appeared so...secure. Hinata's friend was so massive and overwhelmingly power that the concept of Bu-kun feeling fear was alien.

Bu-kun was Isobu, the three-tailed Bijū.

He could _not_ be afraid. After all, if something could make Bu-kun afraid, what hope did Hinata have of facing the source? Hinata found herself retreating into her memories in an attempt to calm her racing nerves.

_Hinata blinked as she found herself on her back. She _did_ remember falling from her counter while she was trying to reach for some rice to cook. However, she couldn't comprehend why she was outside her home. After a moment, she realized she was underwater! In spite of herself, she screamed. Hinata _knew _that her lungs should be filling with water, but she wasn't choking. It was as if she was breathing pure air. The young girl shook nervously as she tried to stand. Hinata _knew_ she was underwater. She could feel the warm water against her bare arms. Strangely, her clothes were still dry. _

"_I must have really hit my head..." Hinata whispered and ran a hand along the spot where her bruise _should_ have been. Instead, Hinata was unharmed. The young woman decided that finding a way out of this genjutsu or dream was far more important. Hinata's first attempt to dispel the 'genjutsu' she was trapped in ended in failure. Hinata tried a few more times, but again, there was no reaction at all. "I don't have much of a choice," Hinata whispered to herself. She called upon the Star chakra and attempted to dispel the genjutsu. There was still no reaction. Hinata was now firmly convinced that she was in a dream. There was something fascinating about this dream. She had never had such a vivid dream in her life._

"_I hope I can remember this tomorrow," Hinata whispered. In the distance, she saw a beautiful hill of what appeared to be rock. The hill was covered in brilliantly colored...flowers. At least, Hinata believed them to be flowers. They were unlike anything she had ever seen. The flower-like creations swayed along with the currents of the water. Hinata smiled at the rhythmic swaying. As she approached, she noticed a cave. The knowledge that this was a dream had made Hinata bold. She entered the cave while humming a tune. The tune, and her breath, fled from her lips as she entered the cave. Hinata was so overwhelmed by what she saw that she was unable to speak or even scream. A massive creature, one that dwarfed even the mighty bears of the great pine forests, turned its attention to Hinata. The massive being appeared to be covered in steel armor plates. There were numerous spikes rising from the armor. There was a segmented mass of pink flesh beneath the armor. However, the most striking feature was how human some of the creature's features were. His arms and hands were very human. Hinata wasn't sure how, but she instinctively recognized the undoubtedly powerful entity in front of her as male. She gathered her courage and looked the being in the face. The face was, like the hands, strangely human. A mass of armor above his eye looked like a mess of unruly hair. Around his mouth, there was more armor. This time however, the armor appeared to be an unkempt beard. It was almost as if the being was a young man trying to appear beyond his years._

"_**You are very small,"** the creature's voice boomed in the small cave._

"_Y-You are very big," Hinata stammered. The creature laughed at Hinata's statement. Hinata was about to take offense to the very large armored turtle in _her_ dream laughing at her. She quickly noticed that the very big, very strange turtle's single eye was alight with good humor. "W-What is your name?"_

"_**My name? No one has ever asked for my name..." **the turtle asked sadly._

"_W-Well, I am...I-I would like to know it...my name is Hinata,"Hinata said politely and was proud she only sounded nervous instead of terrified. _

"_**Well, Hinata-san...I am Isobu the Sanbi," **Isobu said in greeting._

* * *

The memory of Hinata's first memory with Bu-kun warmed her heart. She was feeling much better. Unfortunately, she was still completely lost. Hinata cast a nervous look at a pair of civilians who appraised her warily. The Hoshigakure kunoichi caught a glimpse of the Hokage Monument in distance. Hinata was eager to get back to the hotel and speak with Hokuto. She headed directly towards the legendary monument and slipped into a nearby alley to avoid a large crowd waiting in front of a series of food stalls.

"Hehe, this'll work perfect!" Hinata heard a young man declare. At first, Hinata thought he was speaking to her. Hinata peered around a pile of discarded boxes and realized the boy's back was turned. The boy was wearing a bright orange, white, and blue jumpsuit. Instinctively, he whirled around and entered into a sloppy, almost brawler-styled, fighting stance. It wasn't perfect, but it was clearly something he was comfortable with.

It didn't help him look anything other than ridiculous. He hadn't let go of the two cages he was carrying. Hinata was on the verge of laughing when she felt Bu-kun coil within his seal.

The boy dropped the cages and a pair of panicked chickens fled the small alley. However, the two children stared silently at each other. They instinctively recognized the other as some form of kindred spirit.

"Hello," the boy said tentatively.

"H-hello," Hinata replied. The boy suddenly straightened. An undeniable sense of confidence quickly surrounded the young man. It shocked Hinata how quickly her perspective of the Konoha shinobi had changed.

The boy seemed to be thinking of something to say. His face brightened and he cleared his throat. "Uh, may I see your papers? I mean, you're a foreigner and all."

"Oh right..." Hinata fumbled for her identification. As she pulled them out, she felt the ninja looking her over. It was all making Hinata feel very self-conscious. She quickly handed them over.

"Hatsune Hinata of Hoshigakure..." the ninja read haltingly. "Cool, I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Hinata blinked. She hadn't expected a ninja to give up personal information so freely. "I-It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thanks! Your village is one of the only ones I remember from Iruka-sensei's boring lessons! You guys have this star-thing, don't cha? I bet there are all sorts of awesome jutsu you guys know!"

Hinata wasn't sure how to react to Naruto's enthusiasm about her home village. On the one hand, she was proud that her village was well-known in Konoha. On the other, she couldn't give away any information about the Star chakra. It was her village's most sacred secret.

_'I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell him...something,'_ Hinata thought to herself.

"We possess the power of the star," Hinata admitted.

"That is really cool," Naruto said approvingly. "So, what brings you to Konoha?"

"My Genin cell and I are here to take part in the Chuunin Exams," Hinata answered.

"Chuunin Exams?" Naruto asked in alarm. "When do they start?"

"In three days," Hinata responded a bit off balance.

"How can they start in three days without me knowing about them? I mean, I need to make Chuunin before I can be named the next Hokage!" Naruto babbled.

Hinata blinked in surprise. How could no one in Konoha mention the Chuunin Exams? "Your Jonin commander did not tell you?"

"Kakashi-sensei hasn't mentioned anything about it," Naruto sulked.

"I-I'm sure he'll mention something today," Hinata said to placate the Konoha ninja. Naruto flashed a soft lopsided grin. The Hoshigakure kunoichi felt a heat in her cheeks and quickly focused on something else. "Um...do you know where the Gouki Hotel is?"

"Oh yeah, Miss Izanami's place. Have you had her anpan?" Naruto asked.

"We don't have that in Hoshigakure. I've never had anpan before," the foreign girl admitted.

"You have to try it! _So _good." Naruto gestured wildly at the thought. "I can take you back to the hotel."

"I would be grateful, Naruto-san," Hinata said graciously and bowed.

Naruto flashed a wide grin. "Let's go. Let Uzumaki Naruto, the future Godaime Hokage, be your guide to the wonders of Konoha!"

"Thank you," Hinata said kindly.

Naruto beamed. _'I'll have my two Shadow Clones pick up the chickens later. It's not every day I get a shot at something like this!'_

The two shinobi walked the streets of Konoha. Naruto spent most of the time pointing out the sights. Hinata had always considered herself adept at observation. Thus, she noticed several details. First, Naruto was just naturally friendly. His optimism amazed Hinata, especially in light of Hinata's second observation. The villagers were looking at Naruto and Hinata with an undisguised combination of shock, fear, disdain, and even a hint of revulsion. Hinata was all to familiar with those looks. They were the looks she received every day from the civilians of Hoshigakure.

"Hey, I bet your team is wondering where you are," Naruto said quickly. "Want to see a shortcut?"

He was visibly relieved when the foreign girl nodded. Naruto was hoping she hadn't seen the looks some of the villagers had been giving him. He really wanted to make a good impression with the Hoshigakure kunoichi. There were a ton of reasons for Naruto to make a solid impression. Naruto craved recognition, and if he could spread it to other villages, so much the better. It would be helpful in the long term, too. Naruto was going to be Hokage one day. So, it was a good idea to become friends with foreigners. He needed to show them how awesome he was!

The other reason was a bit selfish, but Naruto really wanted to impress a girl. He had been trying _forever_ to get Sakura to like him. Unfortunately, Naruto hadn't had any luck with her. Naruto was stubborn, and part of him refused to give up on Sakura, but he realized it was probably a good idea to cut his losses and start over. Naruto wasn't sure if this talk with Hinata would go anywhere. Still, it would be a nice change of pace to talk with a girl that didn't hit him for something.

All Naruto's hopes would go down the drain if Hinata saw the villagers' crueler looks.

Naruto led Hinata through a small side street.

"Once we cross the next road, you'll be able to see Miss Izanami's place," Naruto announced with a wide grin.

"Thank you, Naruto-san," Hinata said gratefully. She had seen the looks of the villagers and the glares had brought up unpleasant memories of home.

"You're welcome," Naruto replied. The two continued for a while. Eventually, they turned a corner. "There it is! I'll walk you in. I've been wanting to visit Miss Izanami's place for a while now."

Hinata bowed. "Again, thank you for being my guide, Naruto-san..."

"Ah, don't mention it! Happy to give you a good impression of Konoha!" Naruto smiled broadly and rested his hands behind his head.

Hinata chewed her lip and decided to be very bold. "I-I have a better impression of you. I now know I am not alone and that there is another who is strong enough to endure those looks. I-I have to go...thank you Naruto-san."

Naruto's arms fell to his side and he barely managed to nod as Hinata dashed away. The world felt so overwhelming. Vaguely, Naruto remembered that he had to meet his team for training today. His earlier plans to demand Kakashi enter Team Seven in the Chuunin Exams were completely forgotten. Naruto could only think about 'not alone' and 'another'. There was no way there could be others like him. It was too unbelievable.

"I need to talk with Iruka-sensei," Naruto said to himself and bolted from the front door of the hotel.

* * *

Hinata stopped in front the exit of the stairwell and leaned against the wall. She had no idea what possessed her to make that confession.

"_Bu-kun, was that really someone like me?" _Hinata asked her Bijū companion.

"_**Yes, that child was a second Jinchūriki. He is like you,"**_ Isobu answered.

"_Thank you,"_ Hinata replied in only mild shock. She walked quickly out of the stairwell and back into her hotel room. Hinata hurried to the second bed and shook her roommate awake.

"Hokuto-chan...please wake up," Hinata pleaded.

Hokuto stirred and hummed. The second Hoshigakure kunoichi sat up. "What is it, Hina-chan?"

"I met a boy," Hinata blurted out.

Hokuto blinked twice. "A boy?" Hokuto asked in shock. "Shisō-sensei won't like that, but...tell me all about it!"

"I-It isn't like that!" Hinata said quickly. The Jinchūriki gripped the sides of her top tightly. Hinata was desperately trying to fight off the blush caused by Hokuto's insinuation. "He's _like me_."

Hinata's best friend yawned and blinked. "He likes you or _is like you?"_

"The second one," Hinata said hotly.

"Oh, sorry. I'm still sleepy," Hokuto apologized. She got out of bed and grabbed two glasses of water from the bathroom. "Are you really sure about that?"

"Bu-kun said so," Hinata answered with a nod.

"Wow, I thought you were the only one," Hokuto whispered. "What's he like?"

"Strong," Hinata said without hesitation.

Hokuto took a sip of the water. "Let me get ready. I want to hear all about this. We'll also need an excuse to throw at Shishō-sensei. But are you really sure?"

"Absolutely," Hinata responded with unshakable confidence. Hokuto was amazed at her friend's uncharacteristic confidence.

"I wonder if he'll be at the Chuunin Exams?" Hokuto pondered.

Hinata giggled. "Naruto-san was quite shocked when I mentioned the exams. I don't believe he was informed the Chuunin Exams were about to start."

"Ooooh, you're already using his given name," Hokuto gently teased. "But what kind of Jonin sensei doesn't mention the Chuunin Exams?"

"I don't know what kind of teachers Naruto-san has had in his life," Hinata answered neutrally.

"I bet his Jonin is lazy," Hokuto laughed. Hinata laughed with her.

_'Even if the world turns against me, I will always have Hokuto-chan and Bu-kun,'_ Hinata thought proudly.

* * *

Iruka filed away a lesson plan as Naruto sat quietly on the edge of one of the first-row desks. The scarred teacher took a quick calming breath.

"Now, Naruto, could you start over and speak at a speed I can actually process?" Iruka asked.

"I met a girl," Naruto blurted out.

Iruka suddenly sprouted a proud, if amused, grin. "Good for you, Naruto! Is she a civilian or someone I taught?"

"She's from Hoshigakure," Naruto answered immediately. The Kyūbi's Jinchūriki was about to continue, but noticed Iruka's ever-widening smile. The gears in Naruto's head were turning and then everything suddenly clicked. "It's not like that! I didn't mean it that way! It's not like that!"

"I believe you, Naruto," Iruka said in a tone of voice that made it clear that Iruka clearly didn't believe Naruto.

"She's _like_ me," Naruto stressed.

Iruka, being an perceptive individual, immediately caught Naruto's true meaning. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Well, not absolutely..." Naruto confessed. "I'm pretty sure though. She said: _'I have a better __impression of you. I now know I am not alone and that there is __another__ who is strong enough to endure those looks. I-I have to go...thank you Naruto-san,' _right before she left."

"You remembered all that?" Iruka asked in surprise.

"I've only been saying it over and over in my head since she told me!" Naruto huffed.

Iruka made a placating gesture. "No need to get defensive."

"Sorry, I just don't know what I should do-ttebayo!" Naruto shouted in near panic.

Iruka knew that Naruto was distressed by the idea of a second Jinchūriki if the boy's verbal tic made a comeback. "When do you meet with the rest of Team Seven?"

"Technically, it was supposed to be twenty minutes ago," Naruto admitted.

"With how late Kakashi-sempai is, you'll still beat him by at least an hour," Iruka joked. Naruto laughed along with his sensei.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said earnestly.

"You're welcome. Give me a second. I'll be right back," Iruka said. The teacher hurried out of the classroom. Naruto jumped off the desk and began to pace. He had a lot of nervous energy, more than usual even. The young man had never expected to meet another person _like_ him. When Iruka came back, Naruto practically tackled him.

"What idea do you have, Iruka-sensei?"

"I'm going to talk with Hokage-sama," Iruka said quickly. "Tamotso-sensei will be covering my classes until I get back. Naruto, I need you to meet with your team. Once we have something figured out, I'll let you know."

"But what should I _do?"_ Naruto asked.

"Treat her like you'd want people to treat you. If her life has been like yours, I think she'd appreciate it," Iruka responded. He noticed Naruto frown as the boy thought about his own life until recently.

"And...it will be useful to have friends in other villages when you're Hokage..." the teacher quickly added.

Naruto immediately brightened and his small frown morphed into an ear-to-ear grin. "I was telling myself that too!"

"That's the Naruto I'm used to," Iruka said as he patted Naruto on the head. "Now, go meet up with your team."

"Sure thing, Iruka-sensei! I wonder if Kakashi-sensei will enter Team Seven in the Chuunin Exams too?" Naruto shouted as he bolted for the door.

Iruka squawked. There was no way Naruto's team was ready for the Chuunin Exams! The teacher had known talking to the Hokage was important before, but this completely changed the equation!

* * *

Hinata and Hokuto were happily eating anpan in the hotel's dining room. Hokuto was in her usual clothing and proudly displaying her hitai-ate. Team Shisō was the first Hoshigakure team to participate in a foreign Chuunin Exam. The two Genin had been talking in a 'code' they had made up as young girls to plan for as many possibilities as they could think of.

Eventually, the conversation turned to lighter fare.

"You know, Hinata-chan, these trees are really weird," Hokuto said after contemplatively sipping on her tea.

"They smell wrong. I miss the pines back home," Hinata replied.

"I know! The air is all off too!" Hokuto spoke excitedly.

"Well, the sooner we all make Chuunin, the sooner we can go home," a male voice entered the conversation. Hokuto and Hinata turned to their teammate, Sumaru. The boy was widely considered the village's greatest prodigy. Hinata respected him for his work ethic and drive, but that same drive pushed Sumaru to be over-bearing at times.

"Sumaru-kun's right," Hokuto agreed. "I can't wait to be cleared to learn Wings!"

Hinata nodded, but didn't say anything. She was probably the only shinobi in Hoshigakure who did not like, or truly benefit, from the Star Training. Hinata's inability to truly benefit from the Star Training was a subject of discussion among her peers, including Sumaru. Hokuto was the only one outside of the village's leadership who knew the truth.

Hinata's status as a Jinchūriki conflicted with the Star's chakra. Akahoshi, Shisō, and Yotaka believed that the 'tailed beast' sealed inside Hinata was rejecting the Star's chakra. The leaders of Hoshigakure were correct, of course. Hinata fought the urge to frown at how her sensei, village head, and leader of the Star Training demeaned Isobu as an animal and not an intelligent being.

"Hinata...we need to think of something to tell Shisō-sensei about this morning," Sumaru suddenly said.

"This morning?" Hinata asked nervously. Sumaru gave her a look and Hinata's shoulders drooped. "I wanted to see what Konoha was like."

"We all want to see Konoha, but we need to do it as a team," Sumaru said firmly. "This is unknown territory."

"This is our ally's territory. We're guests," Hokuto pointed out.

"Konoha invited Suna, Kumo, and Getsugakure to these exams," Sumaru countered. "I trust you haven't forgotten our B-rank against Getsugakure?"

The girls grimaced as they recalled the border patrol mission that ended with a clash against Getsugakure. It had been a minor incident and no one had been seriously hurt. However, it was the young Genin's first real taste of shinobi combat.

"I was just excited," Hinata said in a halfhearted attempt to defend her actions.

"We all are, Hinata-chan," Hokuto verbally stepped in. "Let's let Sumaru-kun eat, and then we can go explore together."

Sumaru signaled for a server as he sat at the table. "I think it'll be fun...and it'll give us a chance to size up the competition!"

* * *

Sakura and Sasuke were both fuming as they waited on the bridge. It was bad enough that Kakashi was always late, but now Naruto was picking up their sensei's bad habits! Sakura groaned and managed to attract Sasuke's attention.

"I swear, if Naruto shows up reading an orange book, I'm going to punch him!" Sakura grumbled.

Sasuke chuckled. "I might hold him in place for you."

Sasuke's simple joke chased away all of Sakura's previous anger. A moment later, Sakura's annoyance flared again when Naruto aimlessly approached the bridge. Their blond-headed teammate had his nose buried in a book. Sasuke scoffed at the sight and Sakura leapt from her perch.

"Narutoooo!" Sakura drew out Naruto's name in annoyance. "What are you reading?"

"Oh hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto said warmly. "I'm reading a book I borrowed from Iruka-sensei on Konoha's allies."

_That_ got Sasuke's attention. "Why are you reading that?"

"There is a Chuunin Exam taking place soon. I've seen a few foreign ninja around Konoha today, so I thought I'd learn about them," Naruto explained.

"The Chuunin Exams!" Sasuke exclaimed. _"A chance for promotion and more power, and Kakashi hasn't mentioned_ anything _about this?!"_

"Does...does Kakashi-sensei not think we are ready? I-I mean we won against Gatō, Zabuza, and Haku..." Sakura added. She wasn't sure if she was truly ready, but she did believe in Naruto and Sasuke.

"Actually..." Kakashi's voice interrupted any response Naruto or Sasuke might have suggested. The Jonin jumped down onto the bridge and 'eye-smiled' at his charges. "Sakura hit the nail on the head. You have proven that you have incredible potential. Now, all of you will have to make the decision to join on your own."

Kakashi handed out the forms and patted Naruto on the head. "Good to be reading up on potential opponents. I hear you've taken a _particular_ interest in Hoshigakure..."

Naruto sputtered incoherently as Kakashi disappeared. The Jinchūriki sighed as he looked between his book, the form, and Sakura. He made his choice. "Hey, Sakura-chan...I need to ask you something."

"No, I won't go out with you. I need to talk with my parents about the Chuunin Exams," Sakura said without even looking up.

"I wasn't going to ask that! I was going to ask something else." Naruto waved his arms comically.

"Huh, then what were you going to ask?" Sakura responded. She had failed to notice that Sasuke had slipped away.

"Uh, I was wondering if you had any tips for getting to know a girl?" Naruto asked.

Sakura shot Naruto a blank look. "Talk to her, find out her favorite places, and take her there."

"But she's from Hoshigakure," Naruto blurted out. Quickly, he realized what those words sounded like and covered his mouth with his right hand. Unfortunately, Naruto's book was still in that hand and he hit himself in the face.

"What?" Sakura gawked. Naruto quickly, and lamely, said goodbye before running away.

"Oh man, that was close," Naruto said to himself. He saw the look in Sakura's eyes. Naruto remembered that look from the Academy. It was the same look all girls seemed to get when some new bit of juicy gossip arrived. Naruto ducked around a corner and, literally, ran into Konohamaru and his group of friends.

"Hey boss, you really need to watch where you're going!" Konohamaru scoffed.

"Sorry, I was just running from Sakura-chan. She wants to interrogate me on the girl I met today," Naruto explained.

"You met a new girl today?" Udon asked in naked disbelief. The only girl the Konohamaru Corps had ever seen 'The Boss' talking with was Sakura.

"She's from Hoshigakure," Naruto admitted.

"I didn't know you could have a girlfriend or boyfriend from a different village," Moegi mused.

Naruto squawked. "I-I just met her! I don't enough about Hinata to ask her out yet!"

"Yet!" The Konohamaru Corps shouted. Naruto slapped his forehead.

_'Why does everyone act like that?'_

"**NARUTOOOOO!"**

"What is that? It has to be a Banshee!" Konohamaru covered his ears. Sakura stormed around the corner and she had a wild look in her eyes. "Oh god, it **is** a Banshee!"

"Naruto! Stop running. I just want to ask some questions!" Sakura grumbled.

"Run guys! She's going to ask about feelings!" Naruto panicked.

"Hey, what's wrong with feelings?" Moegi asked defensively. The young girl never got an answer because the boys had already taken off.

"Which way did they go?" Sakura asked in a huff. Moegi, annoyed at being left behind, pointed in the general direction of the Naruto, Udon, and Konohamaru generated dust storm. The girls took off after the boys. By some quirk of fate, Moegi and Sakura managed to catch up with the boys.

"Stop acting as if I'm going to hit you!" Sakura yelled at Naruto's retreating form. She wasn't planning on hitting Naruto, but this was getting ridiculous.

Naruto cast a quick glance over his shoulder and panicked when he realized Sakura was gaining on him. The last thing he needed was to be cornered and be interrogated by one of the biggest gossips in all of Konoha. Naruto knew Ino would find out within ten minutes and somehow, everyone in Konoha would think he was getting married to a girl he barely knew within the hour.

Fate evidently had a vested interest in advancing the rumors of Naruto 'meeting' a foreign girl. Naruto was not paying attention to what was around the corner. He ran straight into someone...again. The mystery person grabbed his wrists and instinctively tried to throw him. Naruto, acting equally on instinct, wrapped his leg around his 'attacker's' leg to regain some form of leverage. The awkward 'skirmish' caused the two people to fall to the ground in an entangled mess.

"Boss! You okay?" Konohamaru shouted in alarm.

Naruto opened his eyes and realized he was staring into a pair of dark purple eyes. Eyes that _definitely _belonged to a girl. "Oh crap, I'm really sorry!"

"It's alright Naruto-san. No one was hurt," Hinata accepted Naruto's apology.

"Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but you smell really good," Naruto said lamely. The least he could do was compliment a girl he nearly ran over.

Hinata blushed at the unexpected compliment. "T-Thank you."

"NARUTO! Stop doing...whatever it is you're doing!" Sakura shouted as she rounded the corner. She couldn't really see much. Unfortunately, what she _could_ see looked shockingly like Naruto and an unfamiliar girl were about to kiss. The two foreign ninja looking at the scene with naked shock, and in the case of the boy, undisguised anger added a charged atmosphere to the whole situation.

_'Oh, Ino-pig will love this gossip!'_ Sakura fought the urge to giggle maniacally.

Sakura's shout ripped Naruto and Hinata out of the daze they had found themselves in. Naruto shot up first and graciously helped Hinata to her feet.

"Sooo..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and Sakura-chan...may I introduce...Hatsune Hinata?"

"Uh, hi?" Moegi asked numbly. There was something familiar about this Hinata. _'Why do I get Hanabi-chan vibes off her?'_

"And these are your teammates?" Naruto asked Hinata. The Hoshigakure Jinchūriki nodded shyly. Naruto seemed to be completely unfazed by how the current conversation had begun. "So, who wants a tour?"

* * *

Sasuke walked calmly towards his apartment when he heard someone grumbling around the corner. The last Uchiha immediately knew something was off. Sasuke was absolutely confident that the accent he heard was _not _an accent from the Land of Fire. He felt his entire body tense. The last time he had heard a truly foreign accent had been against Zabuza and the fake Hunter-nin named Haku. Sasuke felt his body tense and he steeled himself.

"It's too humid here," a girl's voice complained.

"At least we won't be here too long," a boy's voice grumbled.

Sasuke rounded the corner purposefully. He took in the two foreigners and confirmed they were shinobi. Their headbands identified the two as hailing from Suna. Konoha and Suna claimed to be allies. Sasuke, like all Uchiha, had no trust in long-term alliances.

The words of Sasuke's father Fugaku rang in Sasuke's mind. _"Sasuke, only place your trust in a fellow Uchiha. No one else will ever deserve, earn, or honor your trust. The _Clan _is the heart of everything. We are _blood_. We are family."_

The Suna ninja were also eying Sasuke warily. The Uchiha fought the urge to groan as he noticed the kunoichi giving him a subtle look-over. Girls seemed to be the same everywhere.

"You are here for the Chuunin Exams," Sasuke said evenly.

The boy scoffed and shook his head. His strange head gear flapped with the motion. "Don't act so tough. What are you going to do? Ask us for our papers?"

The kunoichi rolled her eyes at the posturing. "Kankuro, stop taunting the locals."

"I do need to see your papers," Sasuke ordered. "Even if you claim to be here for the Chuunin Exams."

"Well, lookie here. The natives are restless," Kankuro taunted.

"Ignore my brother, he's an idiot," the kunoichi breathed out the words in annoyance. "I'm Temari."

Temari handed her papers to Sasuke. Sasuke gave them a thorough look as a means to hide his annoyance. _'Yet another girl fawning over me. Yet another annoyance.'_

"These are in order," Sasuke reported. He handed the passport back to Temari and turned his attention to Kankuro. "Your papers."

"How about _no_, tough guy?" Kankuro snarled. Sasuke closed his eyes, and when they reopened were the legendary Sharingan.

"So, that's how it's going to be!" Kankuro's snarl became a shout.

"That is enough, Kankuro," a cold voice interjected.

Kankuro's aggressive snarl became a panicked gulp. "G-Gaara."

Sasuke turned around to face the new voice. He couldn't hide his shock that someone had managed to sneak up on him like that. Sasuke couldn't afford to be so sloppy in the future. Gaara was a strange individual, even by Shinobi standards. He had a dead look in his eyes, a tattoo with the kanji for love above his left eye, and a massive gourd on his back.

Gaara took an appraising look at Sasuke. "What is your name, shinobi?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said proudly, but quickly.

"I will test my existence against yours in the Exams," Gaara declared.

Sasuke's Sharingan took in the color and intensity of Gaara's chakra. It was malevolent. A realization was dawning on Sasuke.

_'If I can survive these exams...I will finally begin to catch up with Itachi! This Gaara, when we fight, will force my Sharingan to fully mature!'_ Sasuke was filled with dark anticipation. In all likelihood, Sasuke would be forced to kill this Gaara but it would prepare him for his destiny.

"It will be a difficult test," Sasuke challenged. Gaara began shaking, and Sasuke recognized the reason. It was the same reason Sasuke was nearly shaking. They were both eagerly awaiting the chance to _live_. The two young men who had seen so much blood wanted to dance on the line between life and death.

* * *

"T-Tour?" Sumaru gawked. _'Who is this guy? Why is he so _friendly _with Hinata?'_

"Yeah, why not? We're all allies, after all. Besides, it'll be at least a day before the exams start," Naruto explained calmly. "So, what are you interested in seeing?"

"Are you really a shinobi?" Sumaru asked in shock. "We are foreigners, even if our villages are allied."

Naruto looked at the other boy like he had lost his mind. "Of course I'm a shinobi. Sakura-chan over there is my teammate. Our third teammate is a bit of a loner and isn't here. We've completed some impressive missions."

_'We've had mostly D-ranks and only one impressive mission,'_ Sakura thought.

"Besides, it's not like I'm going to sneak past Old Man Hokage, again, to get to the village's secrets," Naruto chided Sumaru, "just like you aren't going to talk about your village's techniques."

Hokuto sighed and new the two boys were going to continue their little contest as long as no one else jumped in. "It wouldn't hurt to take a tour. Hey, you're Sakura-san, right?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, and you are?"

"I'm Hokuto." The Hoshigakure girl waved. "As us girls outnumber the boys, where's the nearest shopping area?"

Naruto groaned and suddenly thought the tour wasn't such a good idea after all. He cast a glance over to Hinata and wondered if he would get a chance to ask her the millions of questions bubbling in his head.

* * *

The next day, Team Seven met each other at the bridge. Naruto was bummed by the results of his 'tour'. He hadn't managed to talk to Hinata all that much. Naruto had watched her carefully, much to the annoyance of that Sumaru guy. However, what Naruto had seen really sold him on the idea that Hinata was _like him_. They had been at a small clothing shop and Hinata had repeatedly asked if the prices were accurate. Naruto remembered 'the bad old days' from when he was just starting the Academy. Shops used to overcharge him. That had ended _really_ quickly when Old Man Hokage had personally blasted the shop owners.

Still, it was tough being reminded of those days.

Even his brilliant plan of distracting Hokuto and Sakura-chan with the Konohamaru Corps fell flat.

Naruto sighed and turned to Sasuke. The Jinchūriki noticed Sasuke was smirking more than usual. Naruto found himself returning the smile.

"So, you ran into some interesting characters, eh?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded at his friend. "There are a lot of strong people here."

Sakura was quietly walking behind her teammates. She didn't share her teammates' enthusiasm at facing strong foreigners, but she wasn't going to let Sasuke-kun and Naruto down.

Team Seven finally arrived at the site of the Exam. They worked their way through the crowd. A pair of older Genin or young Chuunin were blocking the way. Sakura noticed that there was a genjutsu hovering over the door. As Naruto and Sasuke were about to fight the two armed shinobi, Sakura pooled her chakra. Naruto was shouting about 'letting the future Hokage in' and Sasuke was probably considering using his Sharingan.

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto, I'll handle this," Sakura said, much to Naruto and Sasuke's surprise. "Release!"

The genjutsu faded away and the boys turned to face Sakura in shock. Naruto had a huge grin on his face and flashed a thumbs-up. Sasuke nodded approvingly. The young woman smiled broadly.

"Come on guys! Naruto said enthusiastically. "We have an exam to dominate!"

_'And I have some questions for you, Hatsune Hinata,'_ Naruto thought determinedly.

* * *

**Author's Note: **First off, Happy Birthday Gaiseric! Second, Yes, I have plot ADHD. I hope you all enjoy this (hopefully) pretty unique take on things. I really like this idea and I'll try to keep up with it as much as possible. To allay some other fears, I'd peg the next chapters of Misstep in the Right Direction and Unexpected Lord of Foxes at about 50% done each. I've also worked a bit on Prince Naruto? and everyone's favorite Sheogorrath-inspired mess Hanyou: The Musical!. Please read and review! The level of response dictates how quick I'll come back to this one! Thanks in advance awesome people!

And now for a quick fic rec: Trieo's Sister Lost. It is definitely a fic to keep an eye on! Trieo has crafted an incredible amount of original content!


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto scanned the very full room with a smile on his face. Sasuke was right about there being strong people at the exam. He looked across the room and saw a team from Sunagakure. One of the guys had a fan that was as big as Sakura. Naruto smiled as he continued to search the crowds. Naruto's excitement was building to the point he was shaking. Strangely, Naruto's awareness seemed to expand and he felt Sakura approach from behind him.

"Geez, Naruto," Sakura chuckled. "I never thought _you'd_ be nervous."

"Nervous? I'm not nervous! I'm thrilled to get a shot at these guys!" Naruto grinned. Sasuke nodded at him from the corner of his eye.

"We will truly see how strong we are!" Sasuke exclaimed. The boys were drawing some attention and Sakura was growing nervous at a few of the angry glares they were receiving.

"Geez, you two do you think you can draw any more attention to yourselves?" Inuzuka Kiba said as he approached Team Seven. Naruto rolled his eyes at the brash member of Team Eight. Naruto thought it was odd that Kiba let his ninken partner, Akamaru, ride around on his head.

"Good to see you, too," Naruto said blithely. He turned his attention to the other members of Team Eight. "Heya Shino. Hi, Yakumo."

Aburame Shino inclined his head politely at Naruto. The two boys weren't exactly close, but they had never butted heads. Naruto had a sneaking suspicion that Shino had somehow put the pieces together and knew about Naruto and the Kyūbi. The fact that Shino continued to treat Naruto as a person really scored the quiet bug-user points. Naruto, being a social outcast, never judged Shino for his clan's strange jutsu. That fact had scored Naruto points with the other boy.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Kurama Yakumo said equally politely. Naruto didn't really know much about Yakumo. He knew she was a year older and had been trained by Kurenai-sensei even before graduation. Naruto got along well enough with Yakumo. She, like Naruto and Shino, had kinda been pushed to the 'social background' of the Academy. Naruto was really pleased to be on Team Seven, but would have been happy to have been on Team Eight with Shino and Yakumo as well.

"Sasuke-kun!" A girl yelled excitedly from behind Naruto. The blond-haired outcast turned around just in time to see Yamanaka Ino glomp Sasuke. Sakura and Ino began to argue over who had the stronger 'claim' to Sasuke. The Uchiha looked at Naruto with a semi-accusing look. Naruto had, during their stint on Team Seven, taken to warning Sasuke about incoming fangirls. Sasuke appreciated the early warning and chance to escape. Naruto found the thought that someone possessing the legendary Sharingan would run away from squealing love-struck girls hilarious.

"Man, this sucks. Why do they have to be so loud?" Shikamaru grumbled. Naruto rolled his eyes at Shikamaru. The Nara was possibly the laziest person Naruto had ever met. Shikamaru skipped and/or slept in class just as much as Naruto had back in the Academy. The only reason Shikamaru passed and Naruto failed is that Shikamaru got _just_ enough points from successfully creating a few Bunshin to graduate. Naruto wondered if that traitor Mizuki would have approached both Shikamaru and Naruto for his plot if Shikamaru had failed too.

"It won't be that bad, Shikamaru," Chouji said after swallowing a handful of chips. Naruto grinned at Chouji. It was impossible to dislike the guy, Naruto thought. As long as you didn't call him fat, Chouji was one of the friendliest guys Naruto had ever met.

"So, it looks like all of us Rookies made it," Kiba barked. Everyone stopped their conversations, arguments, or quiet thoughts to turn to the Inuzuka. "I wonder how far we'll get, _Sasuke-kun." _Kiba finished his statement in a mocking tone.

"A bit over-confident aren't we?" Sasuke asked as he rolled his shoulders after Ino had _finally _gotten off his back.

"I don't know how far you punks will get, but I'm going to blow everyone's minds at how awesome I do!" Naruto jumped in and sent a challenging glare at both Kiba and Sasuke.

An older Genin approached with an annoyed scowl on his face. "What are all of you jabbering about? Take a look around, why don't you?"

The assembled rookies all took the chance to look around the room. A number of the shinobi, both foreign and from Konoha, were glaring at the loud collection of rookies. Naruto took the opportunity to look for Hinata. As his gaze tracked around the room, he noticed a Suna team that everyone was giving a healthy does of space to. Naruto felt a pressure build in his gut and he _knew_ that there was a third individual like him. Unlike Hinata, who seemed to be as close to at peace with the burden of being used as fodder for sealing away a demon, this guy radiated anger and bloodlust.

_'C-Could I have been like that?'_ Naruto wondered in a panic. _'What would I have been like without Iruka-sensei?'_

Naruto looked away before the Suna ninja could register Naruto's attention. It was almost a relief for Naruto to see Hinata. She was proof that it was possible to have a demon in one's gut and be mostly normal.

"Do you kids see that group?" The older Genin said as he pointed at an especially angry looking group. "Those are Amegakure ninja. They have a temper to them."

"Um, thank you for the advice," Yakumo said. "I'm not sure you've introduced yourself."

"I'm Kabuto," the older Genin, now named Kabuto, introduced himself curtly. "Since you all remind me of how I used to be, I'll help you out."

"Thanks!" Naruto said loudly.

Kabuto fought the urge to roll his eyes. He produced a series of cards. "I'll answer questions about any of the other participants using this Nin-info cards."

"Any participant?" Sasuke asked. Kabuto nodded with a knowing smirk. "Gaara of Sunagakure."

Kabuto produced the card with Gaara's information. "Gaara of the Desert. He is the youngest child of the Kazekage. Gaara and his team have completed eight C-ranks and a B-rank!"

"Wow, he's like us then," Sakura gasped. "I thought Team Seven was the only one to have a high-ranking mission."

"High-ranking mission?" Ino asked her former best friend.

"Our battle against Zabuza and his partner Haku was given an A-ranking," Sakura bragged.

Kabuto smirked. "Did you all survive without a single scratch like Gaara?" _'Sasuke-kun will hear about all these foes and will_ crawl _to Orochimaru-sama when the time is right.'_

Naruto stared at the Nin-info card. _'That Gaara...he is definitely like me.'_ "Do you have any info on Hatsune Hinata?"

"Of course," Kabuto answered as he pushed his glasses back in place. _'Naruto-kun clearly knows Hinata is a Jinchūriki. I wonder if Naruto-kun will uncover all of Hinata's secrets...even the ones about her that even she knows nothing about?'_

Kabuto put a little chakra into the card. "Hatsune Hinata of Hoshigakure. Her sensei is a member of the Village's inner circle and second in authority to the 'Hoshikage'."

"What an arrogant-ass village!" Kiba scoffed. "How the hell can a minor village like that claim to have a Kage! I bet my clan, Shino's clan, and Yakumo's clan have more _Genin_ than Hoshi has shinobi!"

"She's completed six D-ranks, 4 C-ranks and a B-rank," Kabuto revealed. "It seems there is a talented crop of rookies this year."

"Hey, Kabuto-san..." Naruto continued from his previous point. "Do you know if that Gaara guy and Hinata have any unique abilities?"

"Like a bloodline?" Kabuto asked in feigned interest. _'Ah, how desperate you are to confirm that you are not alone. You truly harbor the Jinchūriki's fear of loneliness...'_

"S-Something like that," Naruto admitted.

Nara Shikamaru had knelt down as he listened to the exchanges. Ino had complained about his laziness before heading over to talk with Sakura and Yakumo. Naruto had always been a mystery to Shikamaru. Shikamaru had always wondered why Naruto was practically neglected, scorned, and ignored by almost everyone in the village.

_'Naruto may be a prankster, but the pranks were never malicious. He's never stolen anything, even when he was starving those first two years in the Academy. Naruto always jumps at the chance to help people when asked... None of that really adds up. He clearly sees something similar in this Gaara and Hinata. At first I thought the Hinata-thing was just some Ino gossip...'_ Shikamaru rapidly thought through multiple scenarios.

"T-This isn't going to be as easy as I thought," Ino said nervously.

"Of course not! Konoha, Kumo and Suna sent some of their best Genin. The minor villages like Otogakure, Takigakure, Hoshigakure, Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Getsugakure all sent their most elite Genin. This is more than just an exam! The villages are all competing with each other for prestige and clients. It'll be rough."

Shikamaru opened his eyes and noticed that the Ino, Sakura, and Chouji were beginning to lose some of their nerves. Kiba was putting on a brave face. Shikamaru could also see that Naruto's shaking had started back up. He decided it was about time to say something to keep this troublesome panic from spreading. Instead, Naruto's eyes snapped open and he cleared his throat loudly.

"Listen up you mooks! I'm Uzumaki Naruto and there is no way I'm losing to any of you bastards!"

The Rookies and Kabuto stared at Naruto is stupefied awe. "What is he?" Ino shrieked.

Shikamaru just smiled as Naruto turned to Ino, Sakura, and Chouji flashing a thumbs up. _'He did that on purpose. Naruto painted the target on his own back to take the pressure off his friends.'_

The assembled Genin had very different reactions. The Amegakure genin were about to draw their weapons. Temari and Kankuro couldn't believe someone like that was about to test for Chuunin. Gaara, however, felt an instinctive connection. He wondered how pleased his 'mother' would be for the offering of that offensively loud idiot's blood.

"What an idiot," Sumaru grumbled. "If he's an 'elite' Genin, we'll walk away with this exam."

"Naruto-san is a very confident and friendly person," Hinata tried to defend Naruto. It was true that she did not know him, but Naruto shared a similar burden. They had a connection that Hinata shared with no one else, not even Hokuto.

"Friendly is great for civilians, Hinata, but we're shinobi. That level of naivety will probably get that loudmouth killed," Sumaru pointed out.

Hokuto shot Hinata an apologetic look as Sumaru was probably about to go on one of his nationalist tirades. The two girls got along great with their teammate. Sumaru was a driven, loyal, and talented shinobi. Sometimes, Sumaru took those traits to their extremes. Hinata, more so than Hokuto, understood the reasoning behind Sumaru's actions. He had lost his parents at a young age and was trying to push himself to extremes so he didn't have to think about the pain. Hinata had 'adopted' Sumaru as her brother-figure for that very reason. He could understand that terrible loneliness in a way most others in Hoshigakure could not. Hinata was also grateful to have someone to help fill that family-shaped void in her soul.

"He's just like us, Sumaru-kun. Naruto-san is battling loneliness just like we are," Hinata whispered. Sumaru turned to face Hinata, and his eyes softened a fraction. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"You really are a peace-maker, Hinata," Sumaru said warmly and patted his teammate on the head.

Hinata rolled her eyes. She _hated_ it when Sumaru did that. She also hated that Sumaru knew she hated it. The dreaded head-pat had become something of a game or inside joke between the two. Hinata was also annoyed she was too short to retaliate properly.

"Very funny Sumaru-_onii-chan,"_ Hinata teased. She turned away and looked back to Naruto. The other demon-container was smiling broadly and resting his hands behind his head. Naruto's female teammate was questioning Naruto's crazy action. Naruto's other teammate was looking out at the crowd alongside Naruto. Hinata wondered what really had driven Naruto to make his declaration.

* * *

Sasuke smirked as he saw the anger in the other Genin. Naruto had provided Team Seven with a great opportunity. If a fight started, Sasuke could not only claim self-defense, but gain power. He felt the itch to activate his Sharingan. The potential jutsu he could secure almost made his head swim.

_'Then there is the added benefit that I'll have eliminated some of the competition. These foreigners will slink back to their villages and will _know _the Uchiha still thrive and are as powerful as ever!'_

"You've kicked the ant hill, Naruto," Sasuke said with an edge to his voice.

"Look at their faces, those Moon ninja are so pissed," Naruto laughed.

Kabuto groaned. "You two do remember how I said that these are the _elite_ Genin of every village? Even a minor village like Otogakure has sent their most talented Genin to this exam."

"I know, we'll be pushed beyond our limits and I'll show everyone I'm worthy of being Hokage!" Naruto responded.

Naruto heard Akamaru growl off to the side. Kiba smirked. "Looks like we've got some takers."

The three 'takers' had a headband decorated with a musical note. One of the approaching Shinobi was hunched and heavily bandaged. All three shinobi were dressed similarly. One of the defining features was a snake-print scarfs. "Here's something you Konoha shinobi should write down on your cards...Otogakure ninja can be very...vicious."

"They also talk big, but no one knows if they can back it up," Kiba growled.

"It looks like this won't be as boring as I feared," the second boy, the one without the bandages, said excitedly

Naruto chuckled. "It is hard to be bored when you're knocked out."

"Arrogant little punk. I think I'd have fun playing with you," the girl said with a dark smirk.

Sasuke took another step forward. "It wouldn't be a very long game."

Sakura watched the exchange nervously. There was about to be an explosion of violence. The atmosphere was already charged. _'There would definitely be people killed...'_

The Rookies all jumped when there was a smoky explosion on the far side of the room."Cut it out you little shits!"

Everyone in the room fell silent as a fierce looking Konoha Jonin and a huge group of hard-edged Chuunin emerged from the smoke. "You punks in the back!"

The Oto team, Sasuke, Kiba, and Naruto all turned to the angry Jonin. "I am Morino Ibiki and as far as all of you are concerned, I am the god of this exam. I am only going to say this once to you hotheads, there is no fighting outside of prescribed matches! I will fail any idiot who fights without _my_ permission!"

The bandaged Oto shinobi chuckled mirthlessly. "We're sorry, Ibiki-san. It is our first time and we are so very excited to be here."

"Stop kissing my ass," Ibiki growled. "We're going to change up the seating arrangements. Everyone form two lines and approach the desk."

The horde of Genin followed Ibiki's instructions. Sakura drew a number and quickly found her seat. As she sat down, she saw Ibiki cast a genjutsu with a one-handed seal. Sakura looked up and was about to ask a question when a Chuunin to her left looked directly at her and shook his head.

_'Something is up, what is going on?'_ Sakura thought to herself. Her confusion tripled when she saw Naruto and Hinata 'miraculously' get the seats next to each other. _'That had to be intentional on the part of Ibiki-san. The only question is why? What's so important that Naruto sit next to that Hoshi girl?'_

Naruto was not aware of the genjutsu or his teammate's observation. Instead, he was grinning at his 'luck'. He quickly took his seat and turned to Hinata. "Hey, Hinata."

"Hello, Naruto-san," Hinata said politely. She was surprised to be seated next to Naruto, but was glad to be next to a somewhat familiar face.

"How about this luck? It'll be nice to be around a familiar face," Naruto said with all the cheer he could muster.

"Yes, it will be a comfort," Hinata agreed. The room became quieter as people began sitting next to unfamiliar, and occasionally hostile, faces.

"Hinata..." Naruto's voice dropped, but he didn't whisper. Whispering was dangerous because it drew attention and people were more likely to assume conspiracy. "What's your number?"

"M-My number?" Hinata asked with a stammer. The question caught her completely off guard. "I'm not sure if I know what you mean, Naruto-san."

Naruto gave her a questioning look. "Your hint at the hotel was pretty obvious. I promise I won't make a big deal out of it. It's just, I need to know that there is someone out there who _gets it_. There aren't many people who understand what it is like to be shunned and alone like we do."

Hinata fell silent for a moment and looked around the room. Hokuto was near the front, but never turned around. Hinata realized she was being carefully watched by one of the Konoha Chuunin. She didn't see Sumaru anywhere, which meant he was behind her. Off to her side, she could feel Naruto's emotions slipping. He had been so confident that he had, and so eager to make, a serious connection with someone who shared a similar burden. Hinata knew her silence, her reluctance, was eroding his resolve.

"Three," Hinata finally admitted. "You are right, though. It is...nice to know that I'm not alone. Did you ever think it was possible?"

"No," Naruto admitted. "but I'm glad I was wrong."

Hinata smiled and was about to agree with Naruto. She was cut off by Ibiki slamming his fist against the chalkboard. "Since Takigakure and Kumo have finally stopped wasting all of our time by squabbling over their seats, we can begin!"

A group of Chuunin began handing out a collection of papers. Hinata felt her shoulders droop. It was a written test. She hated written tests.

"A written test! You sadist!" Naruto screamed. Ibiki smirked at the outburst.

"Get used to it," Ibiki grinned. He proceeded to explain the nature of the test. He stopped twice to rip into a kunoichi from Kusagakure and Sakura for asking questions. After informing everyone that he, or any of the Chuunin would not answer any questions, Ibiki continued. There were ten questions. Each incorrect answer would cost the Genin one point. Then, Ibiki threw everyone a bombshell. "If we catch you cheating, you will lose _two points_. Any person who loses all their points will be removed from the exam. Any _team_ that has a member removed will also fail. So, approach this exam like proud ninja!"

Naruto looked at the questions and felt the blood drain from his face. There was absolutely no way he could answer any of these questions. _'I don't even think Sakura-chan could answer some of these!'_ Naruto thought in a panic.

"Oh god, my teammates are going to kill me," Naruto groaned. He could feel Sakura and Sasuke glaring daggers at him.

"I-I can't answer these either," Hinata said with forced humor.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "So, after we hold off our teammates while apologizing like crazy, where do you want to run off to? I've got friends in the Land of Waves. We could have a house on the beach."

"That would be nice. I've never had the chance to wear a swimsuit," Hinata said as she looked down at her test.

Naruto had always possessed a hyperactive imagination. Hinata's innocent comment sent Naruto's imagination into a hormone supercharged haze. _'Don't think about that now! I'm in a life-or-death exam!'_ Naruto thought in a desperate attempt to clear his head. He covered his ears as if he was trying to block out the voice in his head attempting to describe what Hinata might look like in a two-piece. _'Why can't I file _that _image away for later? I need to really figure out this exam stuff!'_

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was sitting on his own in the Jonin waiting lounge. The other Konoha Jonin were talking amongst themselves about how their Genin were going to handle Ibiki and his machinations. He was a bit nervous about his team, but didn't voice his concerns. They were all very talented, but this was a different kind of challenge than what they were used to facing. The Copy-Nin knew that the only member of his cell that could actually answer the questions was Sakura. That girl had book-smarts that were completely unreal. Sasuke was likely making use of his Sharingan to uncover the answers. Kakashi was actually worried a bit about Naruto. That being said, Kakashi had complete faith in sensei's son. Naruto would probably find some crazy, probably legendary-to-future-generations, way to get around Ibiki's rather sadistic test.

_'If Naruto can get to the tenth question, he'll have this in the bag. His heart is incredible. I just wish the book-side of his brain was on the same level,'_ Kakashi thought with a smile. His smile disappeared as he thought about the girl who would be sitting next to Naruto: Hatsune Hinata. He never thought he'd hear that given name again. Kakashi hoped that Hiashi Hyūga didn't find out about the Hoshigakure girl. The Hyūga clan head had never truly recovered after Kumo murdered his first-born daughter and the sacrifice of his twin brother. Kakashi had accompanied Hiashi, Boar and Towa on a revenge mission to Kumo. Hiashi's personal vendetta against Kumo for the deaths of his daughter and brother had never put the mission in jeopardy. Hiashi had sought brutal revenge for his murdered daughter, but it had been a cold and collected revenge. Kakashi had actually been happy to help Hiashi eliminate the two members of Kumo's Jonin Council that Jiraiya had pegged as the planners of the abduction. It had been a long time since Kakashi had gotten such a high level of satisfaction from a Silent Kill.

He shook himself out of the dark memory and turned his attention back to Hoshigakure's Jinchūriki. She was going to add another complication to this Chuunin Exam. The Hyūga were already in an uproar about Kumo's presence. Hokage-sama had already placed an ANBU cordon around the Hyūga compound.

_'And not just for the Hyūga's protection. It's to protect Kumo _from _the Hyūga. If Hokage-sama hadn't given Hiashi that warning, he'd probably be out to kill every Kumo participant,'_ Kakashi thought with a hint of nervousness. The last thing Kakashi wanted was a war between Konoha and Kumo. Hiashi still had his coldness towards most people, but the thought of Kumo being _invited_ into the village had sent him into a fiery rage. Kakashi couldn't really blame him, but it was a dangerous situation. If Hiashi found out that a girl named Hinata, who was around the same age his Hinata would have been, was in the village Hiashi might be sent over the edge.

_'I'm getting too old for this shit,'_ Kakashi groaned.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting three rows back from Naruto. He saw Naruto grip the sides of his head. _'He's already panicking. This isn't good.'_ Sasuke already knew that he couldn't answer many, if any, of the questions on the test.

_'If I'm going to answer any of these questions, I'm going to _have _to cheat... Wait! That's it! A proud ninja wouldn't get caught! Ibiki is testing our ability to gather information!'_

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and searched for a suitable patsy. He quietly hoped Naruto would figure the test out quickly.

"Number 49! You're out!" Ibiki shouted harshly.

A Konoha Genin jumped to his feet. "What are you talking about?"

"You've run out of chances! No one that sloppy can be promoted to Chuunin! You are eliminated along with your team!" Ibiki snarled at the unlucky Genin. A pair of the observing Chuunin stood up. The Genin team groaned as they headed for the exit.

* * *

Hinata gulped as she watched them leave. This was going to be very difficult. She cast a furtive glance in Naruto's direction. He was wearing a satisfied grin and was sitting in a shockingly relaxed manner.

She started to ask Naruto about how he could be so calm. A shouting match between a Chuunin and another eliminated Genin team cut her off. Naruto, however, knew she was about to speak. He looked at her and mouthed 'read the scoring'. The other Jinchūriki flashed a reassuring smile that made a heat rush to Hinata's cheeks. Isobu's rumbling laughter in her mind didn't help. The last thing Hinata needed was for the Bijū to start teasing her.

Naruto was feeling really good about himself now. Once he had read and reread the scoring system, a plan had formed in his head. It had helped to calm him down a great deal. Naruto was also glad he could help Hinata without getting any points deducted. Even a few other teams getting punted couldn't bring Naruto down. Naruto knew Sakura and Sasuke had figured the test out and were fine.

"You're just in time!" Ibiki said with a smirk to a Suna ninja who had just come back. Every ninja in the room looked towards the new arrival. The new arrival shrugged his shoulders before sitting down. Ibiki cleared his throat to recapture everyone's attention. "I will now reveal the Tenth Question."

Naruto, and the other assembled ninja, leaned forward in nervous anticipation. Morino Ibiki smiled. "Before I reveal the actual question, I will go over the special rules for the Tenth Question."

"Special rules?" Ino asked from the back.

"No questions!" Ibiki reminded Ino harshly. "The are the rules of desperation. First, you must choose to take the question. If you choose not to take the question, you will instantly lose all your points and disqualify your team."

Right on cue, one of the Chuunin plants leapt out of their seats. "What kind of rule is that? Of course we'll choose to take the question!"

"Then I should go ahead and tell you why my offer is so generous," Ibiki grinned sadistically. Naruto tensed as he realized he kinda recognized that grin.

_'Oh man, this won't be good,'_ Naruto thought to himself.

"If you make the choice to attempt the Tenth Question, and you fail..." Ibiki put a great deal of emphasis on the Tenth Question and drew out his statement in order to increase the stress of the situation. "You will be blacklisted from any future Chuunin Selection Exams."

"B-But there's been many people who have taken the exams multiple times!" A girl shouted from the back. Naruto didn't recognize the voice, but the accent was off for someone from Konoha.

"You all just had the horrible luck of being in _my_ exam!" Ibiki taunted.

Ibiki's statement and rules were causing a panic to spread in the few surviving Genin teams. Naruto knew that he couldn't be a Genin forever, but refused to give up and fail his teammates.

_'I can't screw this up for Sasuke and Sakura-chan! They are my friends and I can't let them down!'_ Naruto thought in an attempt shore up his resolve.

Hinata felt herself tense at Ibiki's statement. _'C-Can he do that? Can he really blacklist us?'_

"I can't! I'm out!" An older Genin jumped to his feet. "I'm sorry guys, but I can't risk my future!"

Ibiki chuckled. "Number thirty-four is eliminated. Numbers sixty-two and one hundred-twelve are also out!"

In the back of the room, Sasuke ground his teeth. _'I know there is no way that Naruto will give up. He's too stubborn and after Haku and Zabuza he isn't a scaredy-cat anymore. Don't screw us over, Sakura!'_

Elsewhere, Sumaru was fuming on a level equal to Sasuke. He wasn't worried about his teammates. Sumaru believed Hinata had a hidden strength to her that was highly admirable. Hokuto was fearless and reliable as well. The Hoshigakure ninja's anger was at the 'arrogance' of Konoha. _'How can some Special Jonin have the authority to blacklist foreign shinobi? The 'Five Great' villages think they can just do as the please! Bastards!'_

The panic continued to spread like an epidemic. Four more teams were eliminated. Sakura was watching the other teams dropping like flies. _'I know Sasuke-kun and I can get the question right. Naruto...Naruto's not smart enough yet to get the Tenth question right. I don't want to fail, but I can't let Naruto's impossible dream get destroyed.'_

Sakura was about to raise her hand and reject the chance to take the Tenth Question when she saw Naruto do the unthinkable. He rose his hand.

* * *

"I'm sick of you underestimating me! I'm not going to run away!" Naruto shouted in defiance and slammed his hand down on the desk. "What kind of Hokage would I be if I refuse to take risks? If I fail...so what? I'll just become the first Genin to be named Hokage! Then as your boss, I'll make you change your dumb-ass rule! So, bring on that question! I'm sick and tired of your mind games! Hurry up and ask that question!"

Ibiki hid his emotions well. He couldn't show how impressed he was by Naruto's speech. "Are you sure?"

"Do you think I pulled that speech out of my ass? Do you want me to stick my neck out like that and then go 'just kidding'? Hell no! I said I'm not running away! I stick by what I say, because that is my nindō!" Naruto countered.

"So be it," Ibiki said with finality. "Does anyone else want to back out?"

Naruto's speech had crushed the spreading panic. It had also forced many people to reevaluate their opinion of Naruto. Additionally, no one else took up Ibiki's offer to drop out.

Gaara tilted his head to the side. _'Maybe his blood is worthy of mother. There is a hidden strength to it.'_

_'Good work, Naruto. That took guts,'_ Sasuke thought approvingly.

_'Is that the same loudmouth from earlier?'_ Sumaru thought in total disbelief.

_'Naruto-san...that was incredible,'_ Hinata said to herself in amazement.

"Well, I suppose drawing this out any longer won't serve any purpose," Ibiki said with a smile. The smile was completely different from the harsh smile that Ibiki had used to toy with the Genin. Instead, it was actually warm and joyful. "Congratulations on passing the first test of the Chuunin Exam!"

The room fell silent. After a heartbeat, Kiba called out. "What about the Tenth Question?"

"My offer to back out _was_ the Tenth Question!" Ibiki explained. "As Chuunin, you'll have to make tough calls that can potentially put your entire squad at risk. Like our very loud friend said, what kind of leader runs from risks? If you become Chuunin, you will have to make those hard choices."

Naruto turned to Hinata and flashed a triumphant grin. Hinata giggled at the sheer positivity Naruto radiated.

"Hey! That means the first nine questions were a waste of all our time!" A Suna kunoichi with four braids that Naruto didn't recognize yelled.

"They weren't useless," Ibiki countered. "I'm sure some of you figured out the real purpose of the test. It was information gathering! This test was a team effort to put you all in a situation where your actions determined the fate of your team! The questions on the test were designed to be beyond the pale for most Genin."

"Ha! I **knew** it!" Naruto shouted again. A few nervous chuckles rumbled throughout the room.

Ibiki continued as if Naruto hadn't had another outburst. "Our questions were designed to force you all to cheat. We penalized you all so heavily for failing to cheat, because information gathering is a skill Chuunin must have! The whole point of this exam was to cheat. There were even a handful of Chuunin scattered throughout the room who had all the answers."

The room fell silent as Ibiki stopped talking. They watched curiously as he began undoing his bandana-style hitai-ate. "Those who couldn't cheat properly were failed. You all must learn..."

Morino Ibiki dropped his hitai-ate on the desk to his left. "That sometimes, information is worth more than your life!"

_'His head is burnt and there are so many scars from screws and stabs. I bet his hands are even worse,' _Sasuke thought to himself in shock.

"Information, intelligence, can determine if your comrades or even your village survive!" Ibiki announced. "I guess this test was backwards in some way. The Tenth Question was the true focus of the exam. We wanted to test you all and see if you were willing to make that leap of faith. In the field, you will have to make decisions that put you and your team in danger, but are necessary to secure the future of your village."

The room was silent as Ibiki put his hitai-ate back in place. "Those cowards who refuse to make that jump, to sacrifice themselves for their village, are not worthy of being Chuunin! This is how I feel! I wish you luck in the rest of the exams!"

"You better wish most of these chumps luck! I know that after this, I'm ready for anything this exam can throw at me!" Naruto exclaimed proudly.

Ibiki was about to dismiss the examinees when the far window exploded. A black ball suddenly appeared and four kunai shot out from the center of the ball. Ibiki sighed. _'Oh great, this one is in charge of the Second Test?'_

A woman emerged form the ball, which had become a banner, and thrust her hand out towards the Genin. "This is no time to be celebrating! I'm Mitarashi Anko and I'll be running you through the wringer!"

"You're ten minutes early," Ibiki pointed out flatly.

"Holy crap! You're in charge of the second test?" Naruto asked to the shock of everyone, Anko included.

Anko turned her attention to Naruto and glared at the boy. "So? You've got a problem with that, kid?"

"You live across the hall from me! There's no way I'd trust you to run an exam! Why would the Old Man put someone who sneaks into my room at night to run an exam?" Naruto asked in a panic.

"Idiot! It's just faster to go through your room than through the front door of the complex!" Anko countered. "Besides, I'm a highly respected Special Jonin!"

"_My room!_ My room isn't a hallway, Anko!" Naruto countered. "Maybe I should get the Old Man to seal my windows!"

"Maybe I should stop inviting you to poker night!" Anko shot back.

Naruto climbed on the desk and pointed an accusing finger at his neighbor. "Maybe I should get rid of your emergency dango!"

"You little monster! I should fail you right now!" The Special Jonin roared.

"Are you two quite done?" Ibiki asked in exasperation. Naruto and Anko exchanged a look and shrugged.

"Poker night is still next Thursday?" Naruto asked.

"Only if you bring the chips," Anko responded. "What were we talking about?"

"T-The Second Test," Hinata answered without thinking. The attention was suddenly focused on her and she didn't know how to react.

"Thanks kiddo!" Anko said happily. "Wow, twenty-six teams made it! Good thing I brought a ton of consent forms!"

"Consent forms?" Sakura asked.

Anko nodded. "Yep! Everyone who makes it to the second test has to sign them. It releases Konoha from liability for the inevitable messy deaths that usually happen to some of you Genin in the Second Test!"

"I-Is it too late to back out?" A Getsugakure shinobi asked.

"Yep!" Anko answered happily. "Now, get together with your teams. You all have to sign the same form!"

Naruto laughed at the antics of his neighbor before turning to Hinata with a smile. "Don't worry Hinata, you'll be fine. Good luck in the second test."

"T-Thank you, Naruto-san," Hinata answered. She looked down shyly. Hinata was trying to fight off the strange urge to willingly lose herself in that smile.

Sumaru had gotten up from his seat and was making his way over to Hinata with a blank look on his face. _'Is everyone in Konoha insane?'_

* * *

**Author's Note**: My muse was adamant that I get another chapter of this out! Once again, I have express my gratitude for the response to my fiction. You guys are incredible and I can't thank you enough. As for my other fics, Misstep is the one that will probably get updated next. It is just shy of 6,000 words and I've got a few more scenes to add to it.

Again, thanks for all the amazing response to this and my other fanfiction!

Now, I've got a couple of recommendations. First, I have to recommend Codaram's Entwined by Love, Enslaved by Fate. I'm sure most of you have read that concentration of sheer awesomeness. For those who haven't...what are you waiting for? Second, a much newer fic. This one is called Grip the Sun by Reflection in a Broken Mirror.

I hope ya'll enjoy this update! Please continue to be awesome and review!


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